Letters - March 13, 2018

When it comes to the global warming and carbon dioxide debate, it’s very difficult for Joe Public to determine just where the truth lies.

The gloom merchants have been predicting a virtual hell on earth if we don’t dramatically reduce our current carbon dioxide emissions.

However, a recent paper by an eminent Australian geologist, a professor emeritus of earth sciences at the University of Melbourne, paints a somewhat different picture.

This is what he claims:-

“Take the volcanic eruption in Iceland, for instance. Since its first spewing of volcanic ash, it had, in just four days, negated every single effort mankind has made in the past five years to control CO2 emissions on our planet.

“Of course, you all know about this carbon dioxide that we are trying to suppress – it’s that vital chemical compound every plant requires to live and grow and to synthesize into oxygen for us humans and all animal life.

“It’s disheartening to realise that all of the carbon emission savings we have accomplished while suffering the inconvenience and expense of driving hybrid and electric vehicles, buying fabric grocery bags, replacing £1 light bulbs with £5 light bulbs...well, all of those things we have done have all gone down the tubes in just four days.

“And there are around 200 active volcanoes on the planet spewing out this at any one time – every day. When the volcano Mt Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it spewed out more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in all its years on earth. And there’s the effect of solar and cosmic activity and the well-recognised 800-year global heating and cooling cycle, which keeps happening.

“The bush fire season across the western USA and Australia this year alone will negate efforts to reduce carbon in our world for the next two to three years.

“Also remember that various governments have tried to impose whopping carbon taxes on their people, on the basis of the bogus ‘human-caused’ climate change scenario. They don’t mention ‘global warming’, but ‘climate change’. It’s because the planet has cooled by 0.7 degrees in the past century. Also, we might yet have an Emissions Trading Scheme – a whopping new tax – imposed on us that will achieve nothing except to make us poorer.”

So, who we do we believe? I’m inclined to go along with the professor’s views.

I am looking for any stories your readers might have about sustained searches for family members who had been reported missing in action or presumed killed during the First World War.

Many families went to great lengths to try to trace missing relatives they thought might still be alive, or establish the exact fate of those who had perished, and I am working on telling the story of their heartache, hope and anguish. The information will be used in a book to be published in 2019.

John Broom

12 Park Avenue Penistone Sheffield S36 6DN johnbroom@aol.com

BREXIT

We don’t need a second referendum

I campaigned and voted to remain in Europe in 2016, but I accept the democratic decision of the majority of voters who wish to come out.

I certainly do not accept the argument for a second referendum.

We have had years of discussion on this subject in the pubs, cafes, buses, post offices, housing estates etc.

During the campaign everywhere I went, I was asked the same question ‘in or out?’

Politicians on both sides were dishonest in the campaign.

The argument that they understood Brexit better than the voters is patronising and I am reminded of an old quote from the late Bertolt Brecht: “You cannot re-elect the electorate; you have to live with their judgment”.

So be it.

John Appleyard

Address supplied

SOCIETY

My birthday is still first day of spring!

I was born on March 21, 1930, the first day of spring but now, after all these decades, I am informed by the media that the first day of spring is March 1 as well as being St David’s Day presumably, unless that has also been changed?

These days when, to me, so much seems to change for the worse, and which we are obliged to accept, I never ever imagined that well established facts could also suddenly be changed. On whose authority?

However, until the day I go to meet my maker, the date I entered the world will, as far as I am concerned, forever remain the first day of spring; prayerfully and hopefully there will be no law against that!

Mrs EH Bell

Address supplied

ENVIRONMENT

Need new anti-litter campaign

On my travels around the area on my bicycle, I have noticed the large amount of litter spoiling our town and countryside.